Aromatic wines that actually get the food
Downtown Front Street · Traverse City · Upscale pan-Asian and sushi · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 25, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Red Ginger’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Red Ginger is short but it's clearly not an afterthought — someone here made intentional choices. Aromatic whites dominate, which tells you the kitchen's menu drove the selections. That's a good sign in a pan-Asian spot where most restaurants just default to Cabernet and call it a day.
The list skews heavily toward food-friendly aromatics: German Riesling, Alsatian Gewurztraminer, Oregon Pinot Gris, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. That's a coherent thesis and it works with the menu. King Estate Pinot Noir is the token red, which is a reasonable call for a kitchen that's more fish and noodles than steak. The list won't impress a deep-cellar crowd, but it's pointed and purposeful — a tighter edit than most restaurants at this price point bother to attempt.
Eight to twelve pours by the glass is a respectable spread for a list this size, and the BTG options appear to track the bottle list closely — aromatics up front, a Pinot Noir for the red drinkers. We'd like to see a little more rotation to keep regulars engaged, but what's there is well-matched to what's coming out of the kitchen.
Dr. Loosen Riesling — null
Dr. Loosen is one of the most reliable Riesling producers on the planet and this bottle brings bright acidity and a touch of sweetness that cuts right through spice. It's the most honest wine on the list for what Red Ginger is cooking.
Willm Alsace Gewurztraminer
Most tables skip Gewurztraminer because they don't know what to do with it. Here, it's the sleeper hit — lychee and rose aromatics that mirror the flavors in half the dishes on the menu. It's the kind of match that makes you feel like you figured something out.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Kim Crawford is a solid wine, but it's a grocery store staple and it's almost certainly priced accordingly here — meaning you're paying restaurant markup on something you can grab at Meijer on the way home. The Dr. Loosen Riesling does a more interesting job for the same food at this table.
Montinore Estate Pinot Gris + Red Ginger Roll
Oregon Pinot Gris has enough body to hold up to a sauced, layered sushi roll without steamrolling the fish. Montinore brings a slightly earthy, textured quality that keeps things interesting through multiple bites.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Red Ginger is a Wild Card because a downtown Traverse City pan-Asian spot building its list around Riesling and Gewurztraminer is exactly the kind of quiet good decision most restaurants don't bother making. The markups keep it from a higher badge, but if you're eating here, you're in good hands — just let the aromatics do the work.
Downtown Front Street · Traverse City · Brewpub / American Bar & Grill
Mackinaw Brewing is a great place to drink beer in downtown Traverse City, and nobody should walk in expecting otherwise. If wine is your thing, order the local Riesling, appreciate the nod to Michigan wine country, and let the rest of the list do its quiet, unremarkable job.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Slabtown / West Front Street · Traverse City · American tavern fare with waterfront grill classics
West End Tavern isn't a wine destination, but it's doing something right by leaning into what grows in its own backyard. If you're in Traverse City and want local wine without ceremony, pull up a patio chair and order the Riesling.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
US-31 South / East Side · Traverse City · Mexican
Agave is a solid casual cantina — the margaritas are the move and everyone at the table knows it. The wine list is an afterthought, and there's no shame in treating it like one.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Front Street · Traverse City · Seafood/Raw Bar
Umbo is quietly one of the more interesting wine programs in northern Michigan, built with a clear point of view around Old World acid and seafood compatibility. The pricing is a stretch and the list could use more depth, but if you're eating oysters in Traverse City, this is where you want to be drinking.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Front Street · Traverse City · Steakhouse / Contemporary American
The Pretty Penny is a dependable date-night wine list in a beautiful lakeside town — not adventurous, not cheap, but competent enough to make your steak night work. If you're a wine explorer looking for discovery, you might leave a little flat; if you just want a solid Cabernet with a great meal on Front Street, you're in good hands.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Front Street · Traverse City · Steakhouse with Seafood and Contemporary American
Slate is a dependable steakhouse wine list that plays to its crowd — nothing wrong with that, but adventurous drinkers should zero in on the L. Mawby and call it a night. Send a friend here for a solid meal and a glass of something local; just don't expect the list to challenge them.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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